Compliments of 


W. H. SMITH. 














ILLINOIS LIBRARY 
AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 








ONES Oe 16 Mss 


OF THE 


REPTILIA AND AMPHIBLA OF MICHIGAN. 


~ By W. H. Smiru, M. D., Px. D. 


The present catalogue is prepared with a view of giving the natu- 
ralist the means of determining at a glance the herpetological fauna 
of the State. That some animals may be omitted which will subse- 
quently be detected, though rare, in Michigan, is a fact too patent to 
need discussion. And yet it is hoped and believed that the present 
list will be found nearly or quite complete. 

While it is not intended in the present paper to discuss the 
geographical distribution of these animals, it may be of interest to 
state that our blue-tailed skink, Humeces fasciatus, which is common in 
Michigan and the eastern United States, also occurs in Mississippi, 
Florida, Japan, New Holland and the Philippines, a dozen of this 
species having been found in the collection brought by Prof. Steere 
from the last named locality, thus showing that it is probably the com- 
monest lizard found in those islands. Also that our Rana temporaria 
var. sylvatica differs somewhat from the European animal, but that 
those found in Eastern Asia are intermediate between the two. These 
facts would seem to indicate that the faunas of the two continents had 
formerly been more or less mingled by a migration from one to the 
other along our Western border. Also, it may be said, that our Rana 
halecina is the analogue of the Rana esculenta of the Old World, and 
Bufo lentiginosus corresponds similarly to their Bufo vulgaris. 

Some interesting facts meet us in regard to the habitat of these 
animals, as is notably the case with our lurid salamander, Amlly- 
stoma tigrinum var. luridum. This animal appears every spring as 
soon as the ice has thawed, at a small pond in Ann Arbor known as 
the cat-hole. They can be seen there at this period in immense nur- 
bers, but soon lay their eggs and disappear. During the remainder of 
the season they are to be found nowhere in the vicinity of this city, 
either in or outside of the pond. Where they go in the interim and 
spend their time only to reappear here again at the breeding season, 
is, so far as known to me, a mystery. However, it is probable that the 
animals after oviposition retreat inland and burrow or conceal them- 
selves under logs and stones during the daytime, thus either lying in 
wait for their prey or issuing forth at night to seek it, -In like manner 


1974 


IV 


the Notophthalmus viridescens is found at a lake two miles north of Ann 
Arbor, and the Crotalophorus tergeminus occurs as a rule only in 
marshes and low places, differing in this respect very strikingly from 
the rattlesnake of the East. 

The habits of some of our animals are met by corresponding 
modifications of structure. A remarkable instance of this is seen in 
the soft-shelled turtles, T’rionychide. In these there is a prolongation 
of the nostrils forwards by a fleshy or leathery tube. The significance 
and utility of this can be readily understood by recalling the fact that 
these animals live buried in mud, under water, thus rendering a hard 
shell unnecessary for protection, and that respiration is accomplished 
by their bringing this proboscis to the surface. The peculiar modifi- 
cation of the rostral shield in the hog-nosed snake, Heterodon, is 
probably useful to the animal in removing the earth into which it 
burrows or digs for food. All modifications can be readily understood 
when the habits of the animal are known, just as surely as we can see 
the adaptability of the foot-pads in the geckos which enable those 
animals to walk upon the ceiling. 

It may be well to state also that our species of garter-snake— 
Eutenia sirtalis—shows marked variations, some individuals being 
without the dorsal stripe, some having the colors bright, others dull, 
while some have the sides spotted and others are uniform with the ex- 
ception of the stripes. Our Humeces fasciatus also varies greatly, the 
young being bright, with the stripes well marked, while the adult is a 
uniform dark green or olive. Of our Graptemys geographica, a speci- 
men was recently found by me upon the Huron river, of which the 
shell exactly resembled the G. LeSueurii, but the other parts of the 


-animal conformed precisely to the type. 


The blue racer of the West also differs strikingly in color from the 
typical Bascanion constrictor. Our animal is not black, but varies from 
a light azure blue to a bluish black, in most instances being of the 
former color. The ordinary shade of the adult Michigan animal is light 
azure blue, and it might properly be designated as a distinct variety, 
uncer the term of ceruleus. 

A very troublesome thing in regard to the study of these animals is 
the change that their colors undergo in alcohol. Thus, yellow becomes 
white ; green, blue}, and red, brownish black; while brown and metallic 
tints remain fox some time unchanged. Hiweree exposure to the sun 
for a season will often enable one to form an idea of fhe original shade. 

Sex is often also a difficult matter to determine without dissection. 
Nevertheless, in most, if not all turtles, the male may be recognized by 
its concave plastron. In the Anowra, the vocal vesicle when present 


yé 


Vv 


denotes the male, while at the breeding season, male frogs have the 
brush and pad upon the thumb, and male toads have corneous glands 
upon their fingers. Among serpents the females are larger, thicker, 
less active, and duller colored than the males The difference in size 
is quite pronounced, especially when the abdomen is filled with eggs. 
At such times the appearance of the animal is strikingly changed, it 
being much enlarged, thicker, and of duller coloration than at other 
periods. The tip of the tail is thinner in males than in females, and 
its base somewhat enlarged, in order to lodge the double intromittent 
organ. ‘The young are also bright colored. 

Observations upon the development of the rattlesnake show the value 
of certain characters used in classification. Thus, the foetal Orotaloph- 
orus has the subcaudal plates or urosteges divided, and is also pro- 
vided with grooved fangs. We thus see that these characters indicate 
immaturity, and hence it follows that those serpents with entire uros- 
teges, and with the fangs perforated, other things being equal, rank 
higher than those in which these foetal conditions are permanent in 
the adult state. 

The materials upon which the accompanying list is founded are 
the specimens in the Museum of Michigan University, and those col- 
lected by the writer and other persons in their rambles through the 
woods. The author has received assistance of this latter kind from 
Mr. C. B. Cochran and D. J. and W. K. Higley. The last named gen- 
tleman has also aided him somewhat in preparing the list of 
Museum specimens. However, the writer considers himself responsi- 
ble for the correctness of the present list, he having personally verified 
every identification. Where this was not possible, and the opportunity 
of seeing the animal not afforded, the name has been inserted with 
quotation marks. A star prefixed to a name indicates that the animal / 
was observed in the vicinity of Ann Arbor, and a question mark thyé 
placed signifies that though recorded from the State by some author, 
yet, in the judgment of the present writer, it is doubtful whether such 
animal belongs to our fauna; and while the name is here given for 
reference, the question is raised as to whether the herpetologist so re-“ 
ferring it has not fallen into an error. ; & 

Of Amphibia and Reptilia not yet observed in Michigan, but~whose 
geographical range is such as to render their occurrence in war limits 
not improbable, may be mentioned: Spelerpes bilineatus,longicaudus, 
et ruber, Rana septentrionalis,* Lutceenia proxima, and Ophibolus calli- 
gaster. 





* Proc, Acad. Nat. Sci,, Phil., 1854, p. 61. 


VI 


REP EL ee 


LACERTILIA. 
SCINCIDA. 
ZONURID2. 
Evumeces. Wiegman. 

* Humeces fasciatus, Linn. Blue-tailed Skink. 

OPHIOSAURUS. 
? “ Ophiosaurus ventralis,” Daudin. Glass Snake. 

OPHIDIA. 

CROTALID. 

CroTaLopHorus. Linnzeus. 

* Crotalophorus tergeminus, Holb. Massassauga. 
* ot - var. Kirtlandii, Holb. Black i 
? “ Crotalophorus miliarius,’ Linn. Ground Rattlesnake. 

COLUBRID. 

EKvurenta. Baird and Girard. 
* Kutenia saurita, Linn. Ribbon Snake. 
“g “«  sirtalis, Linn. Common Garter ‘“ 
i‘ “ var. radix, B. & G. Hoy) 4 ‘ 
¥ % 2 S)  COTGGa uo 
« « « « 


parietalis, 


Rearma. Baird & Girard. 


* Regina leberis, Linn. Leather Snake. 
*  « — Kirtlandii, Kennicott. Little Red “ 
s Grahamii, B. & G. Graham’s “ 
Tropmonotus. Kuhl. 
* Tropidonotus sipedon, Linn. Water Snake. 
, . erythrogaster, Shaw. Red-bellied “ 
"i “ var. Agassiziz, B.& G. Agassiz’s - 
_ rhombifer, Hallowell. Holbrook’s “ 
& Heteropon. Beauvois. 
*\Heterodon platyrhinus, Latreille. Blowing Viper. 
bh . 
G P var. niger, Catesby. Black “ 
Opuipotus. Baird & Girard. 
* Ophibolus triangulus, Boie. Milk Snake. 
CotuBer. Linnzeus, 
* Ooluber obsoletus, Say: Pilot Black Snake. 


«  vulpinus, B. & G, Fox’s * 


VII 


BaAscANION. Baird & Girard. 


* Bascanion constrictor, inn. Blue Racer. 
i z <A var. Foun,” B. & G. Rosa aa 
Liopettis. Fitzinger. 
* [nopeltis vernalis, De Kay. Green Snake. 
CycLopHis. Gunther. 
? “ Cyclophis cestivus,” Linn. Summer Green Snake. 
Diavopuis. Baird & Girard. 
* Diadophis punctatus, Linn. Ring-necked Snake. 
SroreriA. Baird & Girard. 

* Storeria De Kayi, Holbrook. ' Little Brown Snake. 
* “ _ occipito-maculata, Storer. Red-bellied Storeria. 
TESTUDINATA. 

CISTUDINIDZ. 

Cistupo. Flem. 

* Oistuclo clausa, Gmelin. Common Box Turtle. 
CHELYDRIDZ. 

CHELYDRA. Schweigger. 

* Chelydra serpentina, Linn. Snapping Turtle. 
EMYDIDZ. 

Emys. Brogniart. 

* Emys meleagris, Shaw. Long Box Tortoise. 
Nanemys. Agassiz. 

* Nanemys guttatus, Schneider. Spotted Tortoise. 

GRAPTEMYS. AGASSIZ. . 
* Graptemys geographica, Le Sueur. Map Turtle. 
u Te Sueurti, Gray. Le Sueur’s “ a 
. CHRYSEMYS. Gray. 
* Ohrysemys marginata, Agassiz. Lady Turtle, 
“ Ohrysemys picta,” Gray. Painted = “y 
CINOSTERNID&. A 
CINOSTERNUM. Spix. 
* Oinosternum Pennsylvanicum,’ Bose. Mus Tortoise: 
AROMOCHELYs. Gray. yp 
Aromochelys odoratus, Latyr. Musk Tortoise. 
TRIONYCHIDZ. 
Amypa. Schweigger. ‘1 
Amyda mutica, Le Sueur. Leathery Turtle. 


ASPIDONECTES. Wagler. 
* Aspidonectes spinifer, Le Sueur. Soft-shelled Turtle. 





AMPHIBIA. 


ANOURA. 
RANIDZ. 
Rana. Linneeus. 
* Rana halecina, Kalm. . Leopard | 
* « palustris, Le Conte. Marsh | 
* « temporaria, Linn. ; var. syivatica, Le ©. | Wood | 
* —« —clamitans, Daudin. . Green 
* “  Cateslbyana, Shaw. | Bull 
| BUFONID&. | 
* Bufo lentiginosus, Shaw ; var. Americanus, Le Conte. American’ os 
HYLIDE. a 
Hyna. Laurenti. 
* Hyla versicolor, Le Conte. Common Tree 
“ Hyla Pickeringii,” Holb. Pickering’s “ 
Cuoropuius. Baird. 
* Chorophilus triseriatus, Wied. Little Tr 


Acris. Dumeril and Bibron. 
* Acris gryllus, Le Conte ; var. crepitans, Bd. 


URODELA. a ia 


x SALAMANDRIDA. — rs : 
PLETHODON. _ * ae 
NG ue. erythronotus, Green. Red-backed Salamande 
SN -: var. cinereus, Green. Ashy-colored i 
? NoToPHTHALMUS. mt 
* Nolowhthalmus viridescens, Rat. Crimson-spotte 
AMBLYSTOMA. . ; 
pMeaiy stings punctatuin, Linn. Violet-colored Salam 
e opacum, Gravenhorst. Blotched 
BON, tigrinum, Green ; var. luridum, Sager. Lurid 
‘ _ deffersonianum, Green. Granulated Sal: 
» PROTEIDA. 
/ 4 MENOBRANCHUS. St 
* Menobranchus lateralis, Bia’ | “ahi 





